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Published on: September 1, 2015
BST-2 diminishes HIV-1 infectivity
1McGill AIDS Centre, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Journal of Virology
|September 24, 2010
Summary
Bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (BST-2) hinders HIV-1 release and infectivity. This viral restriction impairs Gag processing and particle maturation, impacting HIV-1 replication.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
Background:
- Bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (BST-2), also known as tetherin, is a restriction factor that inhibits the release of enveloped viruses.
- BST-2 physically tethers virions to the surface of infected cells, preventing their egress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of BST-2 on the infectivity of released human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) particles.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which BST-2 affects HIV-1 particle maturation and infectivity.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of cell-free HIV-1 particle yield.
- Assessment of progeny virion infectivity.
- Analysis of viral protein processing, specifically Gag precursors and mature viral proteins, using techniques like Western blotting.
- Electron microscopy to evaluate the morphological maturation of HIV-1 particles.
Main Results:
- BST-2 significantly reduces the yield of cell-free HIV-1 particles.
- BST-2 severely impairs the infectivity of the released HIV-1 progeny virions.
- Impaired infectivity is associated with the accumulation of pr55 Gag precursor and p40 Gag intermediates.
- A majority of BST-2-affected HIV-1 particles exhibit a loss of mature core structure.
Conclusions:
- BST-2 acts as a potent restriction factor against HIV-1, not only by inhibiting viral release but also by compromising the infectivity of released virions.
- BST-2 interferes with the activation of viral protease, leading to defective Gag processing and impaired viral particle maturation.
- These findings highlight a dual role for BST-2 in controlling HIV-1 replication, impacting both egress and the quality of infectious progeny.
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